~Illumi's point of view~
I watched from the doorway and she fought tears from her place on the floor.
'What happened to you, Ren?' I thought. 'What has hurt you so much that I find you like this?'
I picked her up and carried her to her bed, gently laying her down and pulling the covers over her.
"Illumi... I'm sorry..."
She sounded so broken to my ears, I did not like this, not even slightly. I ran my hand through her hair and I could see the tears prick her eyes. She was fighting, even now... Soon I knew she would break completely.
"I will protect you when you need me, Ren. I promise." I said softly.
Around midnight I heard the door open and looked to see her brother.
"What happened?"
"I don't know myself, I found her fighting tears on the floor."
"Did Hisoka say anything to her?"
"I haven't asked. I intend to, of course, I wish to know what put her in that state."
I stood up and walked out, down the halls to Hisoka's room. I knocked and he answered.
"Illumi." He greeted.
"I wish to know what you were talking about to Ren." I stated bluntly, he nodded and let me inside.
I listened to him, and as he went on I could tell that he knew she had some reason to think so. Even though I would not pry, I wish she would rely on me if only a small amount.
~Hisoka's point of view~
I knew that no matter how hard he tried to seem indifferent he wasn't. He had grown to care for her to much in such a short time, he had never felt like he was now ever before. She wormed her way into his heart, and that of his family. She didn't know how rare that was that even Zeno Zoldyck, opens his heart and family to any outsider.
"Don't damage my fiancée, Hisoka. Four months left."
"I know, she mentioned something like that."
He made it sound like an order, it was a request. I knew him better than he thinks. Anyone else would have listened without fail, I would listen, not because it sounded like an order, but because I knew she could do more damage to me than I could to her. It was all in her nen, she was powerful, but she was fragile, anyone could see if they look just right.
~Kenta's point of view~
I knew she would do this, it was bound to happen sometime after she agreed to marry Illumi. Kiyomi and Rukia had done a number on her confidence as a mother - or mother figure in their case - because it seemed than now, she had no confidence in raising any children of her own anymore.
"I wish I could take it away, Ren... I'm sorry." I said softly, carding my hand through her hair, twirling it around my fingers at the end before starting again.
I stayed with her all night, sometimes she gave soft dry sobs, sometimes she would cry out for the twins. It tore at me to see her like this, it was my fault for bringing up the twins in the first place, she had stopped crying like this about a year ago. After we moved to Brooklyn, away from our former home where the twins things still resided, the things that Ren bought for them, it was still in the woman's name so she was still paying bills for it, instead of Ren.
I heard the door open and looked up, Killua and Gon stood in the door.
"Hey you two, what's wrong?"
"You said you were going to check on Ren, and when you didn't come back we guessed something happened." Gon said.
"Gon dragged me."
"Killua!" Gon said. "Can't you get along with her?"
"That's enough you guys. Ren just had some problems."
"The twins you were taking about, what did they do?" Killua asked.
"They left."
"What? Why would they...?"
"I guess I should start from the beginning, huh?" I said softly. "It simply goes like this."
~Flashback 12 years ago~
The woman sneered at us, she shoved the two little girls into our nine year old arms.
"Useless, just like you two." She spat. "Keep these unfortunates from me, along with yourselves."
"Yes, ma'am." We intoned spitefully.
We left the house and disappeared to the one set as far away as she could get us.
"Renny, the papers are blank. She didn't even name them."
"Then we will. I like Kiyomi. You can name her."
"How about Rukia?"
"It's good. Kiyomi and Rukia. You hear that guys, your names are now Kiyomi and Rukia."
The twins giggled and clapped their hands. Ren smiled lightly and we entered the house. We grew accustomed to living on our own, the woman only gave enough for necessities, like food, and clothes. We made due though, Ren ran the newspapers to the doors as we grew up. I helped on the other side of town when places needed someone to deliver different things to homes.
It was when Kiyomi and Rukia were nine, the woman came around. She slowly twisted Kiyomi and Rukia against us, we heard them questioning us behind our backs. We heard them plan to leave with the woman. When they did, Kiyomi, who had been the closest to Ren, wouldn't even look at her. Rukia gave me the most fleeting of glances, sadness in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Rukia." I said and she flinched, I saw tears flutter.
After that day we never saw them again. They and the woman disappeared.
~end flashback~
